


War's Seal.

by SpiralGoddess



Category: Sorcha the Selkie
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-07
Updated: 2017-08-07
Packaged: 2018-12-12 09:25:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11734176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpiralGoddess/pseuds/SpiralGoddess
Summary: This was for an art trade with the most amazing designfailure56 from Tumblr.





	War's Seal.

**Author's Note:**

> These characters belong to the amazing Designfailure56 on tumblr. I was blessed to be able to write about them for an art trade. Please go check out their amazing work!

Long ago in a time forgotten was a place made of magic and mystery now only remembered through stories handed down. Rolling hills that stretched from coast to coast flourished with rich life hid their secrets at night with the rolling fog. Calm blue waters brushed against the soft black sand that kissed the edges of the hills and brought security and seclusion to those who lived in the land.

When the fog split and the sun was finally able to warm the earth one could find the fishing town that held one of the main ports in the area. Once the sun was high enough the town burst into life with trade and travelers from far and wide willing to trade their wares and listen to the stories brought to life by the tellers.

Once the sun receded the town would quiet and few souls would roam through the hills once the fog had settled. There was one who lived for the peace the night brought and knew all the mysteries to be found. Little did that soul know that their life would soon be twisted by a hand unknown.

Sorcha had explored most of the hills with only a lamp for light and a basket for the goodies she found. Her most recent love was for a sprawling flower field she found that only bloomed once the fog graced the grass. Large, wonderful smelling blooms exploded across the greenery to dance with each other out of sight from the travelers that passed through the area during the day.

So here she sat, nestled into the middle of her hidden bloom as her hands worked quickly from years of craft. She had made enough crowns to have memorized the process so her mind was free to move ahead and plan how she wanted each of her creations to look.

Pinching the last stem between her thumb and index fingers she brought her right hand up shoving her hair from her face. With an exasperated sigh, she watched helplessly as the locks simply fell back into place. It was a fight she knew she would lose but damned if she wouldn’t continue to try.

Turning her attention away from her hair she focused back on the field in front of her. Spotting the large red flower needed to complete the crown she plucked it low and quickly weaved it in with its sisters. Securing the flower into place with a final tug she added her newest piece to the basket resting by her side.

She would try to sell them today, 'try' being the key word. Although realistically she would only sell one or two of them, most of her inventory was traded away for the smile of whatever child decided they wanted one. Thankfully most parents would trade what they could with her despite her kind words of gifting it to the child.

That was how she ended up with trinkets and items she would have never come across otherwise. Once of which was the necklace currently hanging low from her neck. She could remember the child, his eyes full of wonder with a smile that stretched across his face. He had lifted the crown so delicately Sorcha couldn’t help but immediately tell the boy to keep it.

The man with the boy removed the item from his pouch and slid it into her hands thanking her for the joy she brought to him before moving to chase after the boy that had taken off to the stall a few down that sold sheep.

Pulling herself from her thoughts she chuckled softly at the new crown her hands had made while she had drifted off into her thoughts. White and purple blossoms clung to each other protecting the small baby’s breath that peppered the crown. Setting it into the basket she watched in the same amazement as the flowers began to curl in on themselves hiding from the sun that began to rise.

Slowly moving to her feet she let dark hands brush the back of her cloak freeing it from any grass or dirt that might have clung to it as she rested. Once standing she attempted once more to push the brown wisps from her face as she lifted her basket full of crowns balancing it on her hip as she walked.

The morning air was finally starting to warm up and Sorcha began her trek back to the town. Weekends were always busier than weekdays, families tended to come out to the market more which meant more children for her to give her crowns too.

She would keep an eye out as she walked, not that there was anything dangerous on the path, she just wanted to make sure if she passed anything she found interesting she would be able to pick it up. Unfortunately, there was nothing for her to find this time so the walk back to the town was rather boring.

The sun was just beginning to come up over the hills by the time she had arrived back in town; she had been further out than she had originally planned to be. Thankfully she had still arrived before the market opened so she was able to set up her stall properly.

Pulling her crowns gently from the basket she set them out on the counter hanging some of her favorite ones from the nails slammed into the posts towering over her counter. Once all of her crowns were laid out she pulled a few small trinkets from inside her basket to set out as well. A few interesting geodes she had found mingled in between the blossoms.

Due to her slow walk back to town, it wasn't long before the other vendors began to mingle in and set up their wares. She would chat happily with those who passed her and set up shop next to her and would move about to help anyone who asked for her assistance.

Not long after everyone had settled into their booths their wares out on display as the first ship docked. They couldn't see it from where the market was set up but the sound of the sailors and dock crew yelling at each other as they tied the boat securely signaled its arrival.

People spilled into the streets, hands moving over wares and voices booming in the small area as trades and purchases began. It was interesting to see who would come around this time, new faces and new stories kept her coming back each day.

Like normal, her first customer was a small child with bright eyes. Her shirt was slightly torn and her hair was a cloud of blonde atop her head. Sorcha could almost see the crown reflected in her big eyes as she locked her attention onto a large white and pink crown. Lifting the crown from the nail it hung on she lowered it onto the girls head.

"Well don't you look beautiful!"

Smiling Sorcha removed herself from behind the counter and walked around to lower herself next to the child. Slender fingers pulled at the blonde mass twisting the pieces to lie more comfortably with the crown on her head.

"Oh, no...uhm...I'm sorry miss... we can't...we can't afford that..."

Giggling Sorcha lifted her head to stare at the worn looking woman standing before her. She wore a tattered gown and her hands were blackened from her work. Sorcha hadn't seen them in town before so they must have come on the ship, maybe runaways?

Turning her attention back towards the little girl her hands rose again to pull at the strands of hair still wildly erupting from her head. Smoothing her hair the best she could she lowered her hands to her lap smiling softly at the blue eyed child.

"Her smile is payment enough."

There was a pause for a moment before the child's eyes widened again and laughter burst from her lips in realization. Lunging forward the small girl circled her mother a few times before the older woman lifted her into her arms.

"Thank you...I can't tell you how much that means..."

Waving her hand nonchalantly Sorcha lifted herself to her feet crossing her arms loosely.

"Please don't worry about it."

After saying their goodbyes she moved back behind the counter watching as more travelers arrived with the shouting of sailors. It was going to be a busy day.

She smiled at the brunette barely reaching over the counter to shove a few coins and...an acorn...towards her for payment. Chubby hands lifted the red crown onto her head and she laughed babbling words Sorcha was no longer paying attention to.

Who was the man glaring at her from across the market?

The blonde man looked familiar although she couldn't place why. He was dressed much more elegantly than the other shoppers in the area. It seemed like with his dressing he had tried to blend in with the crowd but the vibrant colors staining his cloth it was apparent he was wealthy.

What bothered her most was the twitching hand resting on the sword attached to his side. His eyes flashed towards anyone who approached him or passed by but as soon as the threat had passed they would quickly settle on her once more.

Swallowing the lump in her throat she shoved her hair out of her face before returning her attention towards her newest customer ignoring the strange man. Dirty brown hair curled into a bright yellow sundress and Sorcha smiled as she pulled a yellow, pink and white crown from the counter and moved around her booth to place it expertly in the girl's hair.

She stiffened as the bottom half of the man came into view as she was working. He had crossed the market to approach her, his hand still resting on his sword. Quickly glancing up at the male she nearly snapped a flower off as she jerked to look away.

There had to be a reason why he looked so familiar. Had he come to the market before? Maybe he had purchased one of her crowns? Or his daughter had? Surely she would remember a face like his.

Gears finally clicked into place as she finished with the child and she ran off to join her mother further down the market street. Lifting her head she fully took in the male once more.

His skin wasn't quite as dark as hers but still, sun kissed all the same. His hair was smooth and moved about him like the sun rays they had stolen their color from. Flowing about him they stopped near his waist with a slight curl. Darker roots were visible along the shaved sides of his head and it made Sorcha wonder if the hair had lost its vibrancy and life once cut.

Elegant ears pointed out beside his head, silver piercings decorating the flesh to match the two piercings under his lip and along his strong jaw. His entire face was strong, angular and beautiful. It was the silver band across his forehead that gave her pause.

Wrapping around his head the darkened silver shone in the setting light. A large leaf shaped portion stretched out from the middle and dipped back towards his hair, an elegant crown lain across his head.

His long fingers still resting on the ornate handle of his sword twitched once more before removing themselves to reach out and cup her cheek. Frozen in her spot she had finally realized who this man was.

This was the God of War.

Despite his gentle hold on her chin she quickly lowered herself to her knees. She wasn't stupid enough to forget her manners when in the presence of their king. A few of the other merchants must have realized who the man was as they lowered themselves as well, leaving the travelers unaware of what was happening.

He cleared his throat loudly before motioning with his hands for them to stand in which all did as quickly as possible. Ignoring the other merchants he once again turned his full attention back to Sorcha and she felt her face burn as the blood rushed forth.

Had she done something wrong? Something that upset the king to the point he had to single her out? Their king was known to be temperamental and quick to strike those that angered him. He was the God of War after all.

His hand once again reached out towards her, this time lowering onto her shoulder as he pushed her back towards her stall and out of the middle of the market street where she had been with the child.

Once behind her booth, his hand retreated from her shoulder to grab her chin once more. Lifting his left hand his index finger pressed itself under each eye three times on the marks darkened against her skin there. Moving from her eyes to her chin it traced the square marked there before tracing the smaller square inside of it.

Confusion and embarrassment flushed her cheeks a dark red as he traced her markings. She watched with wide eyes as his hand moved up to her hair grabbing one of the white hairs mixed in her brown mess.

If it had been anyone she would have slapped the hell out of him...this was her king though. She couldn't just slap him, he was allowed to do whatever he wanted to do.  
Even as he withdrew his hand she stayed glued in place watching him as he turned his attention towards the handful of flower crowns she had left over before pulling a thin crown she had made using blue delphiniums.

Placing the crown on her head his hand drifted down to brush against her cheek. Taking a step back his hand immediately found his sword once again as it rested against the hilt. He turned on his heel and without a word walked away.

She fell back against her booth, trembling hands pulling the wreath from her head. She twisted her head catching the eyes of the booth owners around her. They all seemed just as confused as she was so there would be no help there.

Moving around her booth she swept her few remaining crowns into her basket and quickly pulled herself away from the main street and towards her home. She didn't want to hang around the market anymore, just in case the king was still wandering around.

Her hands only stopped shaking as the market finally faded from view behind her. Why had such a strange thing happened to her? It didn’t make any sense.

Her thoughts wandered as she walked, trying to figure out what she had done to attract his attention. She had never caused any trouble before and her trades made her quite well loved by the town folk.

Had she done something wrong by trading her crowns instead of accepting payment? She had been making crowns for years now, why would she gain his attention only now?

She prayed that it was only a one-time occurrence, he had such a domineering aura that she would rather not have to see him again.

  
She awoke to the sound of pounding on her door and quickly stood from the bed. Slipping her jacket on she held it clenched in front of her body covering her as much as possible. Her fingers still stiff from sleep stumbled on the lock a few times before she was able to unlock and open her door.

Confusion flushed her face a rosy color as a royal guard was revealed to be standing in her doorway. Stammering a few incoherent words she found her voice in a high pitched squeak.

“What?”

Clearing her throat she adjusted her hand to hold her robe closer to her body eyeing the rather bored looking man standing before her. He shifted his feet before lifting his own arms to cross over his chest with a soft ‘clink’ of metal hitting metal.

“You’ve been invited to dine with his holiness tonight at 8 sharp.”

Sorcha’s jaw dropped and she was sure she screamed elegant as she blubbered out noises not quite human. Snapping her jaw shut she took a steadying breath trying to process what he had just said.

“That’s-I-You see-”

The guard simply uncrossed his arms with an ear splitting scrape of metal and held a hand up to stop her from speaking any more. Dropping his hand it hung limply at his side, catching Sorcha’s attention she found the man’s hand was a rather metallic prosthetic.

It was rather well-made something she was sure the king’s funds had helped the soldier acquire. She wondered briefly how he had come to wear such an intricate limb.

Dragging her attention away she felt embarrassment flood her face. It wasn’t that prosthetics were rare, it was common to see them, it was just the detail etched into the metal work was hard not to look at.

“It’s not a request.”

With that, the man turned on his heel and removed himself from her homestead. Still just as confused as when she had opened the door she was now at least aware that the invitation was not something she could ignore. It was clear the king knew where she lived and she didn’t want to see the consequences if she didn’t attend dinner.

Grumbling she swung her door shut and moved into her home. Lowering herself down at the small table in her kitchen she buried her face into her palms and groaned.

Why her?

There was no use fighting it, she would have to go she knew that much. A large part of her still screamed not too. It raged in the back of her mind that something was going to happen, it was a trap, and she was going to be in danger if she went.

She just had to ignore those voices though, the threat looming before her if she _didn’t_ go was so much larger than the threat if she did go, or so her rational mind concluded.

So she removed herself from the small table and went about preparing herself for the evening. She would need to leave soon anyway if she were to make it to where the king’s palace was.

It wouldn’t take too long, not once she was on her mount, but she didn’t like to push the old boy too much so a leisurely pace would take much longer. She loved her stead but she tended to walk most places to avoid having to ride him allowing him to enjoy his final years.

Slipping into her clothes she adjusted her robe to sit more comfortably before checking her appearance over. It wasn’t quite the attire one would wear when visiting the king for dinner but she had no other outfit that would look appropriate.

So a simple peach dress was covered by a front clasped white robe. The light green trim of the robe complemented the peach cloth wrapped around her waist to keep it secure. Her normal olive robe draped itself on top of her outfit and would keep her warm while she rode.

Moving outside she clambered onto the fence watching as Grey moved slowly towards her allowing her to slip onto his back with the aid of the railing she was perched on.

Running her hands over his neck and with a soft pat she tugged her robes up to bunch around her waist allowing her to sit more comfortably on him.

Once situated she gripped a chunk of his aged mane and led him out of the pasture and into the road before moving into a gentle trot as they headed towards what she could only guess would be an uncomfortable dinner.

Thankfully no problems arose during the ride and she was lucky enough to find a cluster of delphiniums and wove them into a simple crown similar to the one the king had admired on her the previous day. It had also given her something to do while she rode.

As she crested the hill leading to the palace gates two men rushed towards her helping her from her horse and leading Grey away to take care of him.

The man that stayed with her turned his attention as she fixed her robes pulling them from around her waist to fall normally near her knees. Once she was completely adjusted she was led towards the front gates.

The palace was ornate, stones older than she could imagine pressed together to create spiraling towers and complex arches. She stared in awe at the architecture, the deep reds of the rugs and banners hanging from the walls were rich with the lamp light flickering through the hallways.

The man led her up a flight of stairs to a rather large and empty room with 4 tall windows wrapping around the arc of the room and looking out over the sea. Sitting in the middle of the room was a gown draped over a simple wooden chair.

“Please wear this gown for this evening.”

She lifted the gown her fingers sinking into the soft fur the white gown seemed to be made of. The soft click of the door behind her gave her the comfort that she wouldn’t have to change in front of the strange man.

Slipping her clothes off she folded them hastily and set them on the chair she had removed the gown from. Slipping the thick fur gown on she fastened the soft green corset around her chest tying the strings that held it closed in the front.

Keeping her hair in the same low tucked style it had been in before she adjusted the flower crown making sure it still sat right on her head.

Moving to the door she opened it only to find the same man from before standing there. Smiling towards her he turned on his heel and began to walk away forcing Sorcha to follow him and follow him she did.

She was led back down the stairs to a large elongated room. A long wooden table with ornate legs stretched the span of the room. Food filled the table, spilling from the bowls and plates with rich sauces smothering the meals.

Even with the monumental amount of food littering the table, there were only two people sitting at the table.

On the far right at the head of the table sat the man who had invited her for the meal, on the other end sat a woman she hadn't seen before.

The woman was beautiful, long flowering hair draped the woman in a sort of veil. Her robes were ornate and highly detailed but were cinched tight against her body to allow her figure to show more.

The woman's eyes are what made Sorcha realize that she really did live up to her name as the Goddess of Trickery and Deceit. Her eyes were sharp and narrow, dark orbs shifting from behind thick lashes and heavy makeup.

They swallowed Sorcha and spat her back out with a simple sweep over her body. She suddenly felt very self-conscious and lifted her arms up to wrap around her chest.

Keeping her gaze on Sorcha for only a few more moments she shifted the piercing stare towards her husband before lifting her glass to her mouth and drinking the dark liquid that sloshed inside.

Sorcha shifted forward uncomfortably and quickly took the only seat that was available in the room. It thankfully wasn't that close to the woman although it was still closer to the middle than she would have liked.

Lowering herself into the chair she shot a look o the Kin before shifting her attention to the Queen a small smile forcing itself onto her face.

"Uhm, thank you for the invite..."

Her voice trailed off towards the end, dying in her throat as the woman lowered her glass to stare heavily towards Sorcha once more. Sorcha took her gaze away from the queen and lowered it into her lap.

"It's Sorcha isn't it?"

She snapped her attention from her lap up to the King and gave him a quick nod. A soothing smile slithered onto the male's face and she felt a chill down her spine.

"I know all of my subjects. I know who arrives on the boats each day and who departs my lands each night. I know where they live and how they live out their lives."

He paused his speech to take a drink from his own goblet and Sorcha allowed trembling hands to grab her own cup and bring it to her mouth.

The rich wooden aroma of the wine inside bellowed up from the metal goblet and swarmed its way into her nose. It was a good smell, she hadn't smelt wine this savory in a long time. Taking a good mouthful she felt the liquid make its way down her throat with a pleasant warmth.

Quickly taking another mouthful she unconsciously made a pleasant noise at the flavor of the wine and the king followed her noise with a throaty laugh.

Embarrassed she had found that much pleasure in the taste of the good wine she quickly sat her goblet down. Her mind was now racing about the food, if the wine tasted that good how would the meal taste?

Noticing he had lost the attention of the flower crown maker the king halted his speech for the moment. There would be time to talk to her once the meal was done and he knew it would be useless to try to speak with her while she was drooling over the meal before her.

Lazily waving his hand servants poured into the room moving about to break up the meal and fill plates for the three in attendance to the meal. Sorcha refrained herself for a moment, at least knowing she wasn't to eat until the king had but once he had taken the first bite Sorcha moved in to devour her plate.

Sorcha had to bite her tongue from letting out a groan at the flavors exploding in her mouth. Sure she ate well, she was never hungry and had a variety of meals, but the flavor of her food paled in comparison to what she was eating now.

Meat she knew she had eaten before burst with unknown flavors and seasonings warming her mouth and forcing her to only eat more. Fish she herself had caught melted in her mouth with an ease she had never been able to accomplish.

The fruit she grew in her own garden never reached this type of subtle sweetness. It never sang with the song in her heart like the food she was eating now did.

She was so busy stuffing herself she had completely forgotten about the queen and her stares from the far end of the table, her dark eyes flashing towards the girl with every noise of enjoyment that bubbled from her throat.

The king sat a few spaces down from her slowly eating his own meal but watching her just as intently as his wife was. He was intrigued by the way she had completely forgotten her shyness, her reserved attitude she had briefly displayed when she had entered the room at first.

She looked oddly beautiful as she shoved another slice of meat into her mouth, her cheeks bursting from the amount she was trying to consume at once. No doubt trying to mix the flavors he knew she was experiencing.

No, she was far from the beauty his wife displayed with her slender face and delicate ways of eating but the raw innocence and joy radiating from her body was a beauty the king hadn't seen in years.

So they continued their meal, the servants were quick to come and replace the dishes when needed allowing the three to have their fill. Besides the noises floating from Sorcha as she ate the meal hall was quiet, neither the king or queen spoke to each other through the night, a silent sort of battle raged between the two.

Only when Sorcha finally placed her napkin on her plate did the queen stand. Scrambling to her feet Sorcha followed suit, not one to be caught lazily resting before her. The queen remained silent as she watched Sorcha bend herself in half the regret from stuffing herself that full washing over her face as she wobbled slightly.

With a pregnant pause between the three stretching much longer than the bowing Sorcha would have liked she finally heard the click of heels as the queen gracefully moved to exit the room.

A deep sigh escaped her lips as Sorcha shifted to stand to her full height noticing the king had yet to stand from his own chair she slowly lowered herself back to her previous sitting position.

The table had been cleared of the food, much of which still sat full and Sorcha hoped the servants were going to finish it so they wouldn't be throwing out that much food with hungry stomachs sure to be found.

Now with nothing to hide the dark wood the room seemed much colder, the empty walls reflecting the empty table and empty floors. Only a lone fireplace that rested behind where the king sat broke up the stone walls and it sat unlit in the heat of summer.

"I'm sure you can recall what I was saying earlier?"

Jumping she pulled her attention away from the wooden circle chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and towards her king. Blood rushed to her face forcing color Sorcha knew would be visible onto her cheeks.

"Oh Yes! You know all your subjects..."

Nodding the king pushed his chair back a few inches allowing himself to recline and cross his arms.

"Out of every subject I know, every subject I've followed to learn more about...even every subject I've killed for insubordination...you are by far the most interesting."

The blood immediately drained from Sorcha's face at the king's words. Sure there had always been rumors in town that if you broke a large enough law it was the king that would personally come for you. No one believed the rumors though, surely the king had enough to do without killing civilians.

Why did he find her interesting? As far as she knew she hadn't broken any laws. There was no reason for her to even have the king look her way let alone find special interest in her.

She doubted he wanted to kill her, he would have just shown up at her house to do it would he have not? Why would he invite her here for an elaborate dinner only to kill her?

"I have watched you for a long time, Sorcha. You're very kind to everyone you meet, even those who don't deserve it."

He leaned forward uncrossing his arms to rest his elbows on the table. Folding his hands in front of his face he narrowed his eyes at the woman.

"You've traded for coins, wares, food...you've even traded for the smile of a child?"

Sorcha swallowed the lump in her throat her mouth sticky with fear. She simply nodded her head to respond to the man's question.

"Why?"

Sorcha blinked a few times, the silence heavy in the air as she tried to process just what she was being asked. Did he really want to know why she traded for what ever the other had? Or was it something more than that?

Lifting the smaller goblet of water the servants had thankfully left she took a mouthful washing the fear and confusion from her tongue.

"I've never met someone who doesn't deserve kindness..."

She brought her hands together her fingers fumbling with themselves before finding the ties on her corset and picking at them.

"If my flowers can make someone happy who am I to turn them away just because they don't have a few coins?"

Blood rushed to her face once more and her face darkened a few shades. It made sense in her brain and even when she said it aloud she stood by her actions. It just seemed silly for her to say something like that to the God of War.

He shifted leaning back into his chair once more and Sorcha's eyes lowered with his hands. Just as before she found his hand migrate to the tip of his sword his fingers sliding along the cloth wrapping almost as if it comforted him to know his sword was close and available.

He sat silent for a few moments before standing without a word forcing her once more to scramble to her feet. She met his eyes and they both stopped for a moment to simply stare at each other.

"Come."

Turning he slid from the room and Sorcha diligently followed the man she didn't dare to disobey. He was silent as they walked and a large part of Sorcha's brain was screaming that she had done something to upset the king and that she was simply being led to her death.

She clasped her hands together, her sweaty palms rubbing against each other as she followed silently behind her king. She hoped they would at least keep Grey and let him live the rest of his life in their large pastures.

Despite what her brain was still screaming she was not led to her death. She was simply led up to the room she had changed in earlier. Oddly enough there was now a small bed against the wall and a set of night clothes on the single chair in the room.

She turned to ask what this all meant but found that the king had already left and she was alone in the large room.

Grumbling to herself she undid her corset and slid the robe from her shoulders. Pulling the crown from her hair she sat it on top of the folded gown. Sliding the thin fabric of the night gown on she moved to the bed sliding into the covers that had already been pulled back and folded for her.

A groan echoed through the large room as she buried herself further under the slightly heavy comforter. She sank an inch into the bed, the bedding raising up to mold itself to her body and allowing her to feel weightless as she lay there.

The thoughts she had whirling around her bed slowed and silenced themselves and in only a few moments she had fallen asleep.

She was awoken the following morning by the light flooding into the room from the large windows. Blinking the sleep from her eyes she was tempted to pull the covers back over her head and just go back to sleep.

Until everything flooded back to her memory.

Shooting up in bed the covers flew from her body to crumple around her waist. Her hand slapped her forehead as her vision filled with black spots from her rapid movement. Closing her eyes for a moment she took a deep breath before reopening them and taking in her surroundings.

Her gown was still there, although she could tell it had been taken and cleaned for it rested in a position she had not left it the night before. Her flower crown had also been taken, what they had decided to do with it was beyond her concern. A tray of bread, butter, and water sat beside the chair.

Swinging her legs out from under the covers she stood quickly moving over to the tray. Lifting the silver dishware she moved over to the windows resting the tray on the windowsill where she moved to sit.

So she slowly spent the morning watching the waves roll in from further out at sea while slowly eating the meal she had been provided. She was thankful that it was such a simple meal, the spices and seasonings from last night still sat heavy in her stomach and she had been worried they would clash with what ever the morning held for her in an unpleasant event.

Once she had finished her meal she moved the tray back over to rest it on the floor by the chair and moved to dress once again. Draping the night gown over the back of the chair she slid the fur article on and laced the corset around her waist to keep the robe closed.

Moving to the door she opened the heavy wood barricade and slipped into the long hall that sat outside her room. Letting a huff pass her lips she brushed her bangs from her face in a futile attempt before turning right and wandering down the hall before her.

She didn't know what to expect, honestly, a part of her had thought he would have simply sent her off once the meal was complete. The fact that they hadn't given her back her original garments sprouted a seed of worry in her thoughts.

Was her clothing so simplistic that it wasn't appropriate for her to wear such a thing around the king? If so why were they only giving her one outfit to wear? Not that she should complain too much, it was a very nice gown and she was growing attached to the soft fur.

Turning a corner she found herself with another long corridor and she simply pressed on allowing herself to finally be able to think about everything that had been going on.

The king had openly admitted to having watched her for a long time, did that mean she had done something wrong at one point that she had found herself on his watch list? Or was it truly as he said and he was puzzled by why she was so kind to everyone she met.

There was a small part of her hat was buried under the screaming panicked voices in her head that believed that. He was the God of War after all seeing someone kind to everyone they met would be baffling. Maybe he really did just want to see what was going on.

The other 99 voices screaming at her to run outweighed the logical thought and panic settled in her gut. She had nothing to offer him if he asked for something to spare her life. Her home wouldn't be something he cared about and she had no extraordinary talent that she could convince the king he needed.

She wrapped her arms around herself her hands gripping her arms as she took a steadying breath. That would just have to be something she dealt with when the situation arose.

Turning another corner and lost in her thoughts she slammed into the closed fist of whoever she would have walked into. Thrust backward by the force from the other she landed harshly on her ass sliding a few inches before her back flopped onto the floor as well.

Gasping for air her hands rose to her chest gripping the cloth that lay over where the other had landed a square punch.

"Sorcha?"

Heaving in air, she opened her eyes pulling the king into her vision. So she had almost run face first into the king. He was too quick to allow something like that though and since she had turned a corner he had defensively thrown a punch.

She felt the laughter bubble up in her throat before crackling through her wheezing. There had been a chance that instead of using his fist, the man would have pulled his sword, the sword sharp enough to slice through her bones like they were made of the butter she had eaten earlier.

She could have died just from running into him and for some reason her panicked brain thought that it was a hilarious discovery.

She felt a hand rest behind her head as it lifted the top of her body allowing her to sit in the hallway the king kneeling beside her.

"Why are you here? Where is your escort?"

Sorcha pressed against her chest for a few more seconds trying to ease the pain before twisting her head to stare at the man bent beside her.

"Escort? You're the first person I've run into...."

The hand not holding Sorcha up clenched and she watched his knuckles brighten to a ghostly white. His face hardened and she watched his jaw clench and unclench.

"That will be fixed."

She could feel her heart pounding in her head and she wondered briefly if she just caused the death of someone in the palace. Fear froze her arms and before she knew what she was doing she was babbling.

"Oh no, it's okay! I mean there's no reason to kill anyone! No harm was done, well I mean yeah my chest hurts but it's not like I lost a limb or something"

Frantic laughter bubbled off as she stared up at the stoic man before her. He moved his free hand to extend it before her and she quietly took it as he helped her to her feet. He didn't release her hand right away, he kept her close to his body as he stared at her a thousand questions running through her mind.

He finally released her hand and she let it fall limply by her side, clearing her throat she took a few steps backward before raising her hand to scratch at the back of her neck.

"So uhm...."

She lowered her hand moving it to rest in front of her stomach as it fidgeted with her other hand. She didn't know how she was supposed to approach the topic of how long she was expected to stay.

"Follow me."

Swallowing the words she had mustered the courage for she nodded silently before turning to follow him as he moved back down the hallway from whence he had come.

Her nervousness bit her once again and she cleared her throat ignoring the fact that he didn't turn or make any notice that he had heard her attempt to start a conversation.

"Thank you for letting me rest here last night...it was very comfortable..."

She waited for a few moments to see if the male was going to say anything although she doubted he would lower himself to recognize what was probably normal for him.

"I'm just curious to when, ah...when I'll return home?"

The only sign that he had heard her was that the hand resting on his sword tightened around the hilt. With her three steps behind him she wasn't able to see the action though and so her question went unanswered.

Suddenly they were outside and Sorcha was even more confused on how his palace worked then when she had left her room earlier. They had walked through countless halls and stairs and she knew she would never be able to make it down here again.

He took a few steps out before turning and walking along the stone pathway leading down to the beach. Following diligently behind him she could only stare up as they moved underneath parts of the palace.

She wondered if she would be able to see the windows to her room from where they were, it did over look this, didn't it?

They didn't walk too far, just far enough to get down to the water where Sorcha happily played in the foam as the waves broke against the shore. She happily moved about as she crouched looking for shells she hadn't seen before.

The king's shadow fell over her and she twisted her head away from the sea shell in her hand to the looming figure that stood before her. The shell fell forgotten from her hands as she stood to her full height her fear returning as the king's gaze hardened.

She shifted her attention away from the king as she looked around the area where he had brought her. There was no one else around and even if she tried to run he would be able to catch up to her easily.

Swallowing the lump in her throat she took a few steps backward the water now licking at her heels. She could swim. He was wearing more clothes than she was, she could quickly shed her corset and swim faster than he could.

That was stupid, there was nowhere that she could swim too, there was no island for refuge and he could simply stand on the beach and wait longer than she would be able to stay in the water for.

She took another step back watching as the king took a stride forward as to not let her get too far away. If it came down to it though, she would rather attempt to escape then let him kill her with out a fight.

Before she could move into the water any further he was upon her. His right hand gripped the back of her head as his left found purchase on the small of her back. Moving quicker than she could process his lips crashed against hers.

Sorcha's eyes shot open, her hands still pushing against the king's chest, her brain still not willing to be killed without a fight. Sparks shot off in her brain, although not from the excitement of the kiss, more from her brain ceasing to work in the confusion of his actions.

He pulled back from Sorcha and the woman heaved in air, her eyes flashed about the king's face trying to figure out what his plan was. Why had he kissed her? Why was he loosening his grip on the back of her head? Wasn't he supposed to kill her!?

"I've wanted to do that since the first day I found you."

He lowered his face into the crook of her neck and began to murmur words she couldn't quite make out. His hands slid around her body to rest on the back of her robe unfolding the excess material that sat there to pull it up and around her face.

He continued to murmur now into the material draped around her neck and Sorcha could only stand there in shock. She had no idea what he was doing.

Until she felt it.

Pain coursed through her body, pin pricks of fire snipping her skin and soaking their way into her bones. Exploding once inside the pain vibrated her bones and stretched her muscles as tight as they could go, she was certain they would tear.

His hand found its way over her mouth and the buzzing in her ears grew dim, she must be screaming. She must be wailing in pain. His hand pressed harder to muffle her screams as they escalated with the pain surging through her blood.

The hand not pressed against her mouth found its way to her waist and his fingers wove themselves into the strings of her corset. Tightening his grip on the material he snapped his arm backward sending the strings flying in different directions before the corset was loose enough to fall from her body.

She heaved in a breath hoping with the loss of her corset the tightness around her body would lessen only to find the pressure was now rapidly increasing. It was pressing against her from every inch of her skin. She felt her legs press themselves together before he moved his free hand to grip around her waist holding her up and preventing her eventual collapse.

She felt weak in her legs, weak in her arms, her head swam as the pain continued to force black spots to dance for her. She felt the desperate need for air and opened her mouth to gasp uselessly, the fresh oxygen only burning her throat and forcing her vision to blur even more.

The king stayed quiet during the event, watching as the woman he pined after cried out with every fiber of her being. He watched as the coat he had crafted especially for her, molded to her body, shifting its shape and forcing her body to change.

He had spoken the words he knew was needed to persuade the fur to claim her body as its new host.

Removing his hand from the girl's mouth he listened as barks of pain echoed across the beach. The hand around her waist snapped back to his side as if she had burnt him. He flinched as she dropped in a heap to the sandy floor her body thrashing in pain.

There was only one more thing he knew he had to do.

Taking a few strides forward he grabbed her by the nape of the neck his fingers digging into the fur before he felt muscle and he tugged upwards dragging her towards the water.

Keeping a grip on the back of her neck he only stopped when he was knee deep in the water and could completely hold her head under the ocean waves.

She fought against his grip. Twisting and turning her body as much as she could to attempt to loosen the ironclad hold on her neck. She felt the water was over her body, the salt worming its way into her mouth and she jerked her head back heaving in a breath.

His other hand found the back of her head and she held the little bit of air she had grabbed as he held her head under the swirling current.

She could hear the cries of seals muffled through the water and she shot a prayer to whatever god could help to send them to save her. Clenching her eyes as tight as she could she could feel the buzz of unconsciousness tugging at her brain. She needed to breathe.

She needed to breathe.

She broke.

Her mouth split apart and bubbles of air streamed past her as she screamed in her final attempt for the king to free her. When all the air had left her lungs she opened her eyes to the hazy blue that danced around her.

She could hear the pounding of her heart slowing in her brain. Slower and slower until it evened out and Sorcha began to become more aware of her surroundings.

The king's grip tightened and Sorcha was jerked from underneath the water her mouth opening to heave air into her lungs. She could feel the oxygen slipping its way into her blood, filling her lungs more deeply than ever before.

She listened to the sloshing of the water as the king moved from where he was standing towards shore and Sorcha hung in his grip. She was too tired to fight him anymore.

He lowered her down onto the beach and she briefly questioned why her body felt so different but quickly passed it off as lack of oxygen to the brain numbed her extremities.

She felt a surge of pain course through her body before her legs and arms felt normal and she wondered if it was just her brain resuming of not. She suddenly felt much lighter and much wetter than she had just a few moments before.

The king's rough grip lowered itself again to the nape of her neck, this time he tightened his grip only around the fur pulling harshly up and away removing the coat from her body.

A slur of emotions poured into her once her coat was completely removed. Anger, fear, disgust, confusion but the main thing she was feeling, the main thought ravaging through her mind despite her confusion was that she was completely obligated to do whatever the king expected of her.

Staring up at the man gripping the dripping coat above her she slowly moved to stand her arms wobbling to keep her upright. Like always the king gripped her silently lifting her bridal style into his arms.

She weakly wrapped her arms around her chest, dropping her hand to cover her lower half the best she could. She was too tired to protest against him but that didn't mean she had lost her pride.

He carried her through a much shorter path to reach her room and placed her in the middle of the now completely empty room.

The bed had been removed, the chair had been removed and the windows had been what looked like _nailed_ < shut.

He knelt next to her allowing her hand to run over the fur of the gown she had been wearing earlier. Her energy pulsing through her body as she touched the fur. The desire to grab it and run building higher and higher within her.

"I couldn't let you leave. Not when there's still so much about you I need to learn."

His hand left his side and threaded his fingers through her hair allowing her to lean her head slightly into the touch.

"I couldn't stand knowing you were growing older, closer to your death while I stood still."

The fog in her brain was starting to clear the longer she sat there, the longer she touched the fur he had placed in her hand.

"I'm sure you've heard stories of the Seal Maidens, the Selkies."

Her heart picked up its pace. The pounding in her brain forcing realization to push further and further into her thoughts.

"I am Illithor."

An unknown force grabbed her chin and lifted it so the king was the only thing she was looking at.

"and I Illithor have the coat of the selkie, Sorcha."

It felt like she had been shot in the heart and Illithor quickly stood yanking the fur from her weak grip. Without a final glance, he left the room and she heard a heavy clunk as the door locked behind him.

Grief washed through her body and the woman's lips ripped open wails and screams tearing from her throat to fill the empty room. Tears rushed from her eyes and the salty liquid covered her face and the palms of her hands as she pressed them against her face to stop the tears.

She fell onto her side curling herself into a fetal position she wailed again, a dark sound booming from deep within her heart to settle into the stones trapping her in the room. Screeches peppered her wails as her breathing increased to suck in the air she needed.

Feeling even more exposed in the middle of the room she stumbled to her knees crawling across the wooden floor to press her back against the wall. Quickly bringing her knees to her chest she buried her face in the darkness her new position allowed and continued her to allow her pity to wash over her.

What had she gotten herself into?

**Author's Note:**

> ;x; I'm so sorry that I took so long to write this, I really hope that you love it. It was such a joy to be able to write about Sorcha and Illithor. If you'd be okay with it I'd love to keep writing more about them, I just wanted to make sure I got to this point and got something posted for you! Honestly, I could have kept writing forever with these two! Please let me know what you think!♥♥♥♥


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